


Real Knights Wear Pink

by Eggsyobsessed



Series: ABC Medical Series [4]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst with a Happy Ending, Breast cancer, Cancer, Chemo/Radiation, Eggsy is Supportive, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Future Fic, Hope, M/M, Mastectomy, Mostly Roxy POV, October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pink Ribbons for Breast Cancer, Post-Kingsman: The Secret Service, Romantic Reggsy, Roxy Morton is a Warrior, Roxy is a Sruvivor, Surgery, no TGC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-09 04:20:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20847431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggsyobsessed/pseuds/Eggsyobsessed
Summary: Being a Kingsman means risking your life to save another, for the greater good. It was ingrained into them during training, something Roxy remembers through her years as a knight. She was always willing to risk her life for another, but she is not at all willing to risk it for cancer.A story about Roxy and her fierce battle through breast cancer, before, during and after. Because Lancelot is nothing less than a badass, and she has Eggsy beside her to lean on during less than perfect times.





	Real Knights Wear Pink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [solrosan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/solrosan/gifts).

> Hello all! 
> 
> First off I want to say thank you to Solrosan, who is partly to blame for this. She came to me with an idea, and I got so inspired I wrote my own, a riff off of her original, with permission of course, and this is what I came up with. I am gifting it to her, because without her this would not be a thing. 
> 
> Secondly. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Among other things in October, but this holds a special place in my heart. I am related to three courageous, beautiful women who were diagnosed, fought and won their breast cancer battle. My knowledge on cancer is heavily based off of personal experience with breast cancer, and also other cancers where I sat and supported my grandmother-in-law through 2 cycles of chemo and radiation - sadly she did not win her battle and passed away this past March (she did not have breast cancer, but I learned a lot during that time about chemo and rad.). 
> 
> I did extensive research, the time lines I have here are as close to reality as I could get them, without having to call an oncology office myself - I almost did that. 
> 
> Thirdly. I'd like to say I am not a doctor, I am a nurse, and I did my very best to be as accurate as possible, because I know cancer touches on most people, whether you fought it, know someone who did, won or they fought until they couldn't. 
> 
> I understand the sensitivity of this subject, and I did not take it lightly, because cancer is something that has affected my life personally - not my person, but ones I love very dearly. As I said above, three women I love - a grandmother and two aunts - fought and won their battles with breast cancer, but I also carry the grief of the other spectrum. Where a few people I loved so, so, so much did not win, but fought so hard and sometimes that's worse to watch. 
> 
> Anyway! Getting on to the story.  
This is a rare pair, and even rarer for me, because I am a firm believer Roxy and Eggsy are bros, but this SCREAMED differently at me, and so here it is. 
> 
> If you read, thank you, if not that is completely 100% understandable, and I love you all <3. 
> 
> A special shout out, and thank you, to shespeaks who gave it a beta read <3

She could hear the creak of their bedroom door, the soft patter of expensive shoes hitting the carpet before being freed and kicked off behind the door, because he never put them away like he should. Roxy didn’t open her eyes, didn’t need to, to know he stripped himself of his suit on the way to the adjoined bath. For a moment she thought about surprising him, but it was late; she knew it was after midnight, at least.

Roxy dozed in and out of sleep, and only was woken by the warm press of a body to her left, a gentle hand wandered up her bed shirt, beneath the sheets, to cup her breast. She smiled as soft lips met hers in a tender, slow kiss. The smell of peppermint, his Old Spice body wash, and the trace of gunpowder lingered near, surrounded her like a well worn jumper, soft and comfy against her skin.

Her head lolled to the side, eyes opened to stare back at the blue-green pair that twinkled like stars, sure to be shining in the night sky. He looked tired, always did after a mission, the delicate crows feet deepened with the cheeky smile he wore, creased the laugh lines around his mouth, and made him look just as heart-stoppingly handsome as the day she married him.

“Hi,” Eggsy whispered, before he moved in to claim her mouth once more.

Their second kiss held more heat than the first, as his hand squeezed at the breast in hand, a forefinger and thumb pressed around a nipple, pulled just a bit to coax a low moan out of her. Roxy instinctively widened her legs, Eggsy - ever the greedy man - came to settle comfortably between the space she made. All of the blood rushed to her groin, her clit throbbed with each greedy kiss, every gentle tug at her chest, as Eggsy’s skilled hand kneaded her, cajoled more whimpers, groans, while his free hand wandered down to cup her, one finger slipped into her opening while his thumb circled gently over her sensitive clit.

She pulled away for air, his face just a hair from her, his breath was hot and heavy against her face. Roxy brought a hand up to cup his cheek, Eggsy instinctively leaned into the touch, to stroke it. The stubble scraped against her palm, he needed a shave.

“Hello,” she exhaled, a small smile played on her lips. “How did it go?” Roxy wondered, her voice barely above a whisper while he added another finger, thumb continued its slow motion.

Eggsy frowned a little, marring his gorgeous face. “Don’t wanna talk about work when I got you like this,” he reminded her.

It was something he had insisted on, work could wait while they were home. Where they could be husband and wife, and not members of a secret intelligence organization.

Her smile only widened as he devoured the next moan that left her. It was slow, all soft touches, kisses, exchanges of oxygen as Eggsy entered her, and no matter how many times they’ve done this, it always felt like the first.

Years. 10 years of marriage, and a year just for dating sake, and 2 prior it all for Eggsy to convince her they would be great together, and they were.

She slid her fingers through his honey-brown hair, now flecked with strands of silver, as her orgasm rolled through her like a wave crashing against rocks.

Eggsy stilled above her, his lips found home against hers, his hips rocked to fill her with his spend.

It was beautiful, one of the many things she looked forward to when he came home, among having her husband safely under their roof, the home they built together. All filled with happy memories, arguments, great times and not so great, but together they prevailed it all, made it this far without dying, to be able to hold one another when they were both home and Kingsman could survive without Lancelot and Galahad.

Eggsy settled comfortably behind her, as Roxy curled into his arms. She kissed the hand in hers, brought it up to rest above her heart. The silence was heavy, but a familiar one, filled with unspoken feelings of relief that all he came back with was a bruise to his left shoulder, and a busted lip.

“Now can I ask about work?” Her question was soft, his chest shook as he chuckled and placed a chaste kiss behind her ear, before his cheek came to rest against hers.

“If not now, you’ll ask at breakfast.” Eggsy’s words carried no conviction, but the fondness of a husband who knew his wife. He shrugged behind her. “Went just as Merlin planned, just had a scuffle before I got the information I needed on the flash drive, took one guy out, but mostly uneventful.”

She hummed curiously, tightened his arm around her waist. “Not even a little bit of flirting?” Roxy teased lightly, a giggle erupted from her when he bit her shoulder, his stubbled chin rubbed against the spot.

“No,” he reassured. “Made sure to save that for my beautiful wife,” Eggsy murmured. His breath tickled her ear, caused goosebumps to rise on her skin.

“She’s a lucky bird.” Her grin took up the whole of her face.

“Yeah.” Eggsy’s nose grazed along her cheek. “Don’t tell her,” he stage whispered, “But I’m the lucky one.”

Roxy brought his hand up to kiss the palm, and placed it over her abdomen. “Your secret is safe with me,” she promised.

\---

“Fuck,” she sighed, with her back against the now closed front door.

It was 3 in the morning, rainy, cool and windy. Her hair clung to her forehead and cheeks, from sweat and rain. She toed off her oxfords, set them aside by the door as to not track the wet onto their new hardwoods. Roxy slipped out of her suit jacket, took her hair out of a ponytail, as she wandered into the kitchen.

The house was quiet, she was certain Eggsy heard her come home, but was likely expecting her to go straight to bed; she usually did. Roxy set the kettle for tea, and nibbled at a chocolate biscotti that her mother had sent with wine, berries and an assortment of chocolates for their wedding anniversary, a week ago.

She was tired, cold, hungry and her right shoulder was killing her from having used a shotgun during her mission. It wasn’t one of her preferred weapons, and she had held it wrong so the kickback slammed into her shoulder with each fire. That, and she pulled it just right while wrestling a target.

When the kettle sounded she took down two mugs, the familiar shuffle of tired feet caused their floors to creek, and soon her body was encompassed by a strong set of arms.

“I’m wet,” she told him, even as Eggsy kissed her cool skin, his lips were hot compared to her. “You are warm,” Roxy sighed, and allowed her back to lean against his chest. Eggsy hummed into her ear, and reached for his perfectly prepared cuppa.

“Thanks, luv,” he murmured, his voice thick and scratchy with sleep. And even years of speaking with a smooth dialect, his chav accent crept up when he was tired.

Eggsy pulled away, but kept a hold of her hand to turn her about and reached up to sweep a few strands of sodden, brown hair from her face.

“I’m going to take this in the room, and you relax here, enjoy your cuppa, and I’ll draw you a bath.”

Roxy smiled softly up at him. “It’s late, you should sleep,” she argued gently.

“I will,” he promised, before he leaned in for a proper kiss. “After you are cared for.” She opened her mouth to protest, but it was cut short by another delicate brush of lips, before Eggsy walked away, humming to himself as he left.

She blew out an exasperated breath, but enjoyed her tea, another biscotti, and the silence for a little bit more. Roxy cleaned her mug, shut the lights and made the short trip to their bedroom.

As promised, Eggsy had a bath drawn, luscious bath soap poured in along with her favorite salts. The aroma of vanilla and lavender thick in the steam that clouded the room, but not so she couldn’t see Eggsy stand from beside the tub, and with careful hands, undressed her.

He kissed her shoulder, where no doubt a bruise lie, and the skin of her knuckles where blood had dried. Eggsy’s eyes scanned over her body, a mix of visual assessment and hunger, to stop at her chest.

Roxy’s cheeks blazed, always brightened when Eggsy paid special attention to her. She lightly swatted his chest.

“Always staring at my chest,” she accused softly, but his gaze turned worried for a second. “What?” she asked, and followed his eyes to her right breast.

“Did you get hit here?” Eggsy wondered, a hand hovered over the reddened, blotchy area around her nipple. When his palm cupped said breast, thumb swept over the discoloration, she hissed in discomfort; Eggsy pulled away quickly.

She walked in front of the mirror to examine the spot. “Didn’t get hit there,” she murmured to herself, to Eggsy. Roxy touched it, and it was just as uncomfortable as when Eggsy had. She felt a little more, and froze as her fingers rolled over a lump.

“Eggsy,” she whispered, worried. “Can you…?” Roxy turned to him, a palm still covered her breast, she gestured with her free hand. “Just be gentle,” she warned him quietly, not that she needed to.

Eggsy came forward, his hand replaced hers. His face a mask of confusion, one that soon morphed into concern, fear, no doubt when he found the source of her new anxiety.

“You feel that?” She didn’t need to ask to know he did.

He then grabbed the other, was not groping but feeling the difference. “That wasn’t there before,” Eggsy claimed.

She placed her hands over his, met his eyes square on. “I’ll get checked before we freak out,” she told him, determined. His face lined with worry, but Eggsy nodded his head and gave her a bath like they hadn’t just found something that could, potentially, determine her fate.

He held her a little tighter that night, but she didn’t complain about that.

\---

Eggsy had insisted on accompanying her, even if all it was, was a mammogram at her OBGYN office. His leg bounced as they sat in the waiting room, much like it did when he was nervous, a tick her husband never seemed to shake, no matter how much it irritated her.

“Eggsy,” she said softly, as she placed a hand over the knee to still his movements. He looked like he wanted to say something, but was stopped when her name was called.

It didn’t surprise her that he followed, or that he waited, not so patiently, in her exam room; her husband was never a patient man. It also didn’t shock her when the doctor came in, told her it was a tumor and examined her breast, didn’t like how it looked and requested a biopsy that day.

Roxy didn’t watch, just clutched Eggsy’s hand while they maneuvered the ultrasound wand, and did what needed to be done. She was numb, and from more than the Lidocaine they injected her with so she wouldn’t feel the small incision, then a large needle that was placed into her breast to remove tissue.

The doctor was kind, told them it would take 2-3 days, and would call when the results were in.

She thanked the doctor, got dressed, gathered her bag and walked out with Eggsy. The ride home was silent, and not the comfortable kind, like some invisible bomb was about to go off, and she were the flame to ignite it, or maybe she was the bomb that ticked away.

They were just inside the door when she spun to face Eggsy, who closed their door and looked at her.

“We don’t react until we know,” she insisted. Eggsy just stared at her for a moment, before he came forward to wrap his arms around her, his hands rested at the small of her back. “Promise,” Roxy said, forced her tone to stay steady.

“I promise,” Eggsy agreed.

Roxy stood on her tiptoes to give Eggsy a kiss. “Good,” she exhaled, relieved. “Now let’s get ready for work.”

There was reluctance on his face, his eyes hardened for a moment, but it was the way Roxy looked back at him that Eggsy didn’t say anything, and just followed to their bedroom.

The day passed in a blur, she kept herself busy with mission paperwork, looked over a few files Merlin sent her of prospective assignments. It wasn’t until a knock on her door, Eggsy popped in with what appeared to be a chicken club sandwich, and crisps, did she realize it was after 2 in the afternoon.

“Figured you’d forget to eat.”

Her stomach growled when she caught a whiff of the food, and he even had a few bottles of fizzy tucked under an unoccupied arm. They ate in silence, shared the generous bag of onion crisps, her favorite, as Eggsy sat on top of her desk. It had been years, countless times of Roxy bitching, but that never stopped Eggsy from plopping his arse in the same corner since they first got their offices.

Eggsy brushed his fingers of crumbs, wiped his hands, and brought a hand up to tuck a loose strand, that had escaped her bun, behind her ear.

Roxy held his hand against her face, leaned into the palm that seemed to be made perfectly to cradle her cheek, and allowed the silence to say what didn’t need to be spoken aloud. She wasn’t even sure what that was, but Roxy wasn’t going to allow this to eat at them, much like it already was; she noticed. A quick pass over his face said it all, a weight added to the wrinkles that had just started to pop up here and there, caused them to deepen more than they should for a man of 43 years of age.

She leaned away, allowed his hand to drop aimlessly into his lap, to toss the used paper that once contained her sandwich, and finished off her orange fizzy.

“How has the day been?” Roxy decided to focus on anything else, but the elephant in the room.

Eggsy caught the hint, his brows pulled into a thoughtful frown. “Fine, my usual paperwork for Merlin, who would likely have cardiac arrest if I actually turned it in on time.”

“We can’t have that happening, I think Harry would be cross with you.” That cracked a smile out of Eggsy. “Has Merlin tossed you any missions?” she asked, and settled back into her computer to look over the specs of a job in Turkey. Roxy could feel his scrutinizing gaze on her, see it in her peripheral; she ignored it.

“He has.” His tone was low, careful. “Don’t tell me you’re looking in to go-”

She cut him short, snapped her eyes up at him, dared him to continue. “You are not to tell me what I can and can’t accept as missions, Galahad,” her voice ice, saw how he flinched at the code name.

Roxy watched him morph from her husband into an agent, it were like placing on a Kingsman suit, as he stood and she no longer stared at Eggsy, but Galahad.

“We are co-workers here, Galahad, it would do you well to remember that,” she snapped, it came out a little harsher than she intended.

“Very well, Lancelot. I’ll see you at home.” With that, Eggsy let himself out, and indeed met her at the shop to take a cab home.

Dinner was a quiet affair, but it was clear Eggsy couldn’t focus on more than the morning’s events, and Roxy just wanted to pretend the next 2-3 days would be normal ones, and not like a countdown to hear what she already knew deep down.

Sex wasn’t its usual soft, gentle exchange, she wanted hard, rough, a reminder she was still human and not some breakable porcelain doll, because Eggsy was already starting to treat her as such. Roxy forced him to grab her hips, bruise them, the kisses were rough, hard, greedy. She wanted to feel Eggsy for days, and made sure that’s what she got.

Eggsy, ever the accommodating man, lived up to every need she plead for, begged with her eyes that this didn’t change them, because nothing was definitive yet, and she needed him to remember that.

\---

The next few days passed in the same fashion, mindless work at HQ, lunches where Eggsy brought her favorites and nights spent tangled with one another, lived in Eggsy’s skin. She would say it was perfect, and it was, except on the third day, as she blow dried her hair, a few bobby pins in her mouth while she attempted to work it into a bun, her phone rang.

She wouldn’t have heard it, but Eggsy walked in, a tie around his neck, cufflinks off, shirt not even buttoned all the way yet, with a look of horror as he stared at the number displayed on the screen. Roxy slowly took her mobile out of his palm, swiped to accept, and wondered what she would hear on the other line.

“Hello?” Her voice smooth, calm, even as they asked her to come in for the results, something about confidentiality over the phone, asked to bring her husband if she wished.

“Alright, when should I come in?” Roxy wanted to say she was busy, had work today, but knew that would be the wrong thing. As soon as possible, is what they told her, her reply was gentle and they hung up.

She didn’t look at Eggsy, didn’t know she could face him. The rest was as if she lived on fast forward, he pressed a soft kiss to her temple and said he’d make their excuses at work. As of yet, Roxy had kept it between them, she didn’t want to say anything unless they were certain. He drove them, not that Eggsy didn’t already drive them everywhere, his hand in hers like a weight to keep her from floating away.

Everything started off as a routine visit, check in, wait, be called back and wait some more. The air was thick with Eggsy’s nerves, she could feel them course off of him, and she found herself trying to comfort him when the doctor sat down, said it was cancer.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, started in her milk duct, tumor is around the size of a small lime, and they want to do more imaging to determine if it spread to surrounding lymph nodes.

“This will help us better diagnose the staging and treatment,” Dr. Lynch explained, showed her some diagrams off of templates and books that showed the cancer Roxy had. “I did not feel any tumors in the lymph nodes upon your last exam, but would like you to go straight for an MRI, and then we can move from there.”

More information was given about chemo, radiation, the likelihood of her breast being removed, if not both depending on progression. It was so much, and Roxy wondered if Eggsy heard any of this, she passed a glance his way, his eyes were red, but no tears fell; she knew he was paying attention.

“I am going to refer you to oncology.” She typed a few things into the laptop she had. “They will look over the MRI scans, and biopsy we took of your tumor to determine the proper course.” Dr. Lynch made a few more notes, and gave Roxy a sympathetic look. “I am very sorry,” she said, sincere.

Roxy took all of the information she was offered, packed it away into her bag, and nodded, tried for a smile.

“Thank you, you’ve been very informative,” Roxy said politely.

“Are there any more questions I can answer for you?” And Roxy didn’t envy this woman’s job, the way she looked a little saddened, but kind and professional in a way that was to provide comfort; it helped very little.

“No, thank you,” she dismissed, and didn’t even think to consult her husband before she decided no more questions were floating about.

Once they were in the car, Eggsy blew out a slow, hard breath. She looked out the window, not sure what to say, or how to say it. His hand touched hers, his fingers wrapped around her, tangled their fingers together, he yanked softly until she finally met his eyes.

They were wet, but still no tears fell, and she appreciated that, didn’t think she could handle him falling apart yet, because Eggsy would. Her husband was too kind, heart too big for this to have no effect on him. A man who couldn’t kill a fox wasn’t going to handle his wife deteriorating; Roxy knew that.

“Are you okay?” It was like the inquiry was a slap to his face, he reared back a little, his blue-green eyes blazed for a moment, then settled into shock.

“Am...am I?” Eggsy wondered, almost laughed out. “Baby, I’m...are you okay?” He frowned at her, his eyes squinted with concern.

Roxy didn’t let go of his hand, but turned away to look back out the window. “Yeah. I’ll be fine, going to beat this, yeah?” She smiled a bit, squeezed his hand, and she wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince just then. Roxy could feel his eyes still on her, silence stretched on until he cranked the engine and drove them home.

\---

Roxy had an MRI the following day and went straight to work afterwards, no matter how much Eggsy protested, said she should take a day, at least one more, allow herself to get sorted.

“I am fine,” she assured him, no matter how his face said different, the concern caused a permanent V to form between his eyebrows, mouth set in a downward frown the entire morning. Roxy sighed tiredly at his expense, while she grasped his shoulders and stopped his dressing.

“Look at me,” she demanded as his eyes cast away, and he had the nerve to roll them but met her gaze anyway. Roxy squared her shoulders, let go of him, and stood spine ramrod straight with an air of confidence surrounding her. “This isn’t my end,” she pressed on, even as his eyes glistened just a little, “Nor my undoing. I’m getting through this, with you beside me, yes?” Eggsy nodded his head, his jaw tight just like it always did when he fought his own emotions.

“I need you to treat me no differently. Here,” Roxy stressed, her arms extended out to getsure around their room, “At home. At work,” she placed a hand over his mouth when he went to say something, “I will work. I know once we disclose what’s happening I will be removed from active duty, but as long as I am able I want to do something, anything. Understand?” He gave another nod. “I want to know what we are looking at, in terms of how severe, before we tell Arthur, but as people...as friends, I’d like to tell them.”

They had always been close with Harry and Merlin, they were very much pseudo dads to Eggsy and often over for dinner once a month, when Roxy and Eggsy were home. She’d invited her uncle, Percival, and knew she’d have to tell him on her own. That was hers to do, but the other two would be together, all of them. And her mother. That pained her a little, because it would be over the phone, and not in person.

“Whenever you are ready,” Eggsy managed, voice raw, when she let go of him. “Whatever you need.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, hands rested at the small of her back, to pull her flush against him.

The gesture was as much a comfort, as the delicate kiss he lay on her lips, palms wandered to form around her bum, as hers sought purchase to cradle his neck. He didn’t know how much that promise meant to her, and Roxy hoped it was spoken in the way her lips morphed to the shape of his, like they belonged there, were made for each other. He was the first to lean away, something so sorrowful in his eyes, but a smile formed on his mouth, crinkled his eyes the way she loved so much, as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“Let’s get ready, yeah?”

It was as uneventful as a day at HQ could be. Roxy made it a point to stop by the gym, to run a bit on the treadmill. She had already did some research, and keeping up your physical health, along with mental health, was good and while she wasn’t receiving any treatments that would deplete her energy, and make it harder to do every day activities, she’d enjoy this for a while longer. She felt good for it, worked up a good sweat and had a scorching shower that could burn off skin. Roxy smiled to herself, because Eggsy hated the showers this hot, always claimed she would try to melt his skin off when they’d have one together.

She passed the mirrors as she went to dress and stopped. The mark seemed to grow, it was just a few days, under a week, and maybe it was just in her imagination, but it looked a little bigger...darker in color. A hand swept over the area, it were firmer than her other breast, and sore, tender, as she allowed a finger to press against skin.

What the doctor said resonated in her head, she may lose her breast, and Roxy knew reconstruction was an option, but that meant more recovery time, and she wasn’t sure she was prepared to give up more time. She shook her head, cleared her mind, and went back to getting dressed.

The days seemed to crawl before she got the call of her results, again, another in person visit to discuss it all. Roxy was already tired of the appointments, and Harry had begun to catch on something was amiss, it was with the way she made excuses for the appointments, in the way Eggsy seemed to be more reserved, quiet.

Roxy wished she could have been surprised that there were tumors in her lymph nodes, but she wasn’t. Her husband was calm beside her, Eggsy held her hand like she was going to disappear if he didn’t have a hold on her. His fingers crushed around hers, almost cut the circulation, but she didn’t care. It was comforting to know he cared so much.

\---

“What’s the course of treatment,” she asked, at her first oncology appointment. It was just a day after her MRI results. “I’m assuming surgery, I have looked up the statistics of my cancer, and you say stage 3A. Which I am going to say I will need the two affected lymph nodes removed, along with my breast, yes?”

Eggsy coughed beside her, she knew it was to keep himself from crying, another tick he developed over the years. Roxy didn’t look at him, it was okay he couldn’t handle how blunt she was being, but she wanted facts, statistics and actual fucking answers as to what she should expect.

The oncologist gave her a knowing smile. “You’ve certainly kept busy since yesterday, hm?” He folded his hands over a knee, glasses shielded blue eyes as they looked at her, thoughtful.

“Yes, you are correct, but I would like to give you some chemo and radiation before surgery. The tumor is large, and we’d like to attempt to shrink it, see if we can’t save your breast.” He was kind when he spoke, voice soft and gentle.

Roxy waved a hand dismissively. “What are the chances?”

Dr. Berkowitz sighed. “The chemo and radiation wouldn’t be to just save your breast, it would slow the progression so that it doesn’t spread and increases the likelihood that surgery would be a success, and lower your chances of it returning.”

“So either way I will lose my breast,” she summed up.

“More than likely, yes,” he admitted. “It is not as aggressive, and this will stunt the growth, kill off cancerous cells. We would do 3 weeks of treatment, radiation would be every day, chemotherapy twice a week and we would then wait an additional 3-4 weeks to allow your body to recover and prep for surgery.”

“Wouldn’t that put her at risk for it growing again?” Eggsy finally spoke. “Shouldn’t you just take it all now?” he worried.

“Your wife's specific type of cancer is not aggressive, and I have used this form of treatment in similar strains of breast cancer, it has been effective.”

Roxy could feel the anxiety ripple off of Eggsy. “This is the best course of action? The one that gives me the best survival rates?”

Dr. Berkowitz smiled and gave a small nod. “It is. You have a good chance of beating this. After surgery we would start chemo again, and then radiation therapy. This will likely be another 3-5 weeks depending how surgery goes.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

“It means if we were able to remove all of the cancer.”

She felt Eggsy go stiff beside her. “Okay.” Roxy squeezed her husband’s hand, hoped to provide some reassurance. “When do I start?”

A schedule was provided, and they weren’t wasting any time, wanted to start as soon as possible. Her first treatment would be the following Monday.

Late that night, curled in the safety of Eggsy’s arms, their chests faced one another, where soft kisses were shared and no words were spoken, she decided it was time.

“We should tell people,” Roxy murmured, her lips pressed close to his jugular, one of her favorite spots to hide her face.

His hands moved slowly up and down her bare back, lying naked had never been a problem, and often after sex she didn’t feel like getting dressed. Eggsy’s body heat radiated off him, wrapped around her, holding her tight, just as tight as his arms were.

“Whenever you are ready, babe,” he answered, just as he had the other day. His mouth was soft, warm, against her exposed shoulder.

Roxy pulled away a bit to look at him. Eggsy’s eyes were soft, relaxed, but something deeper hidden in then. She knew it was an act, all just to keep her as content as possible, and the effort was appreciated, but she didn’t want to tear him apart, either.

“I’m going to speak to Uncle Ollie over lunch, by myself, but we tell Harry and Hamish together.” Like this, they were no longer Percival, Arthur, or Merlin, they were family and friends.

It was silent for a moment, she watched as Eggsy processed it all, and it still didn’t seem real yet, even after today’s appointment. Eggsy nodded his head, before he leaned down until their lips met in a tender, deep kiss.

Eggsy tipped his head back, a hand came up to brush through her hair, his fingers scraped against her scalp; Roxy leaned into the touch. “We’ll invite them for dinner Saturday, how is that?” he offered.

“Perfect,” she smiled, and tucked her head back into its earlier position.

Sleep wasn’t easily found that night, not for either of them, and dawn was quicker to come before they stopped staring at one another and dozed.

\---

Saturday had approached a lot faster than Eggsy had anticipated.

He watched as she was all smiles, so perfect, completely at ease while she flitted around their kitchen with Harry beside her, there to offer some advice he knew she wouldn’t need, but Roxy accepted nonetheless.

Calls had been made, lunch was had with her uncle, and Roxy had broken the news to her mother, and it was a 3 hour long conversation. Mother Morton cried most of the duration, but not his Rox, no. She was tough, held a steady tone, kept reassuring her mother she was going to beat this, and one thing Eggsy had learned over the years, was that when Roxy puts her mind to something, she was unstoppable.

Much like in the field, Roxy was a force in their home, she had come into a domestic role easily, a lot easier than Eggsy would have ever thought, but she was gorgeous, he always enjoyed watching her cook, and what a fucking surprise that was. Roxanne Morton loved to cook, bake, and there was a period Eggsy swore she’d cause him to gain weight.

Eggsy was pulled out of his ogling, as a firm hand pressed to the middle of his back, it was comforting, grounding.

“Ye are distracted,” Merlin whispered, his brogue a familiar safe net; Eggsy leaned into the touch, and wished Merlin couldn’t read him.

“Mm,” he hummed in answer.

It wasn’t time yet, so he just watched, appreciated how carefree Roxy was, as she basted turkey with Harry, and as much as he believed she’d beat this, there was always that doubt. That what if, just a sliver of apprehension, that someday he may not have more days like today, that this would just be a beautiful memory in a darker time of his life.

But he shoved that aside to give his megawatt smile when she caught him staring, and it was genuine, because he was captivated by her beauty, her strength; Eggsy was in awe of her.

“Quit staring you two, and come chop pepper and onion for the salad,” she scolded, as she gestured with her baster to the cutting board.

“Yes ma’am.” He touched Merlin’s elbow and they busied themselves with the task, and for a moment, it was like nothing was wrong, just a normal Saturday dinner with people they loved.

Dinner was a joyful affair, long laughs, conversation was light, easy, but Eggsy didn’t miss the looks passed between Harry and Merlin. It was in part his fault, he had been a little quieter, and he knew better, was a spy wasn’t he? But how do you get good at coming to terms that your wife has cancer? Eggsy supposed he would find out.

They all retired to the sitting room, a whiskey for him, tea was poured, Harry had a martini that he had mixed himself, and Merlin enjoyed a scotch. Roxy sat beside him, her body began to form the shape of his side, he had an arm slung around her shoulders. A bit of his tension let go as the alcohol coursed through him, but he was well aware enough to know Merlin and Harry expected something, felt it in the air.

“What’s the real reason we are here?” Harry asked, as he placed his empty glass on the coffee table. His posture was relaxed, but expectant, while his good eye shifted between them. Eggsy didn’t react, but neither did Roxy, they were both prepared.

“Cutting right to the chase, Harry,” Roxy tisked softly, Harry gave her a small smile, it was knowing. “You act like I need a reason to have some of the most important people in my life over.”

She hadn’t fooled anyone. It was the way Harry and Merlin stared at them, but Eggsy knew from the moment they walked in the door, they were going to see right through them.

“No, ye don’t, but it’s in the way you are holding your tea cup, how Eggsy’s shoulders have been stiff all night,” Merlin pointed out gently. Roxy smiled and leaned forward to better face them. Eggsy followed suit and placed a hand on her knee, gave it a squeeze, she covered his with her own.

“You know I’ve been going to a lot of appointments lately,” she started, they both nodded, waited, “I had come home from a mission, a mark on my breast that wasn’t from an injury and we found a lump. I had it checked to be sure,” the room had gone silent as she spoke, Eggsy’s ears pressurized like he were on a plane and couldn’t pop them, “Turns out it’s cancer, and I wanted to tell you both in person, as people I love rather than co-workers, and my boss.”

It was quiet for a long moment, before Harry stood to walk over and sit beside her.

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” His tone was gentle, concerned.

Roxy gave a breathy laugh. “I just wanted to be sure before I worried everyone,” she admitted. Eggsy watched as their hands locked, Harry’s older pair wrapped around hers like he could protect the world, keep her safe.

“Whatever you need, whatever we can do to make this a little easier, let us know.” Harry’s voice bled with sincerity, his eye shifted to Eggsy; he smiled, but knew it didn’t touch his eyes.

“Aye,” Merlin agreed earnestly.

She told them what the next course of action would be, and finally after they had given their support as friends, as people who mattered so much to them, they talked about work. Roxy said she wanted to do as much as she could, while she could, but understood she would no longer be assigned missions. It was also agreed Eggsy wouldn’t be placed on any either, and he didn’t complain because they’d all be fucking mental to believe he’d leave her alone.

They left after 10, a kiss placed to each of their cheeks and the assurance they’d be in their corner, that Roxy wouldn’t be alone in this. The support was almost overwhelming. Eggsy’s chest was tight the entire evening, and it didn’t lessen when they left, not even when they fell into a comfortable routine while they did the dishes.

“Are you okay?” Roxy asked as she handed him the last dish for drying.

Eggsy ran the tea towel over it and stopped. It was embroidered with their wedding date, and names, marked that, in their civilian lives, Roxy would be Roxanne Unwin. He touched the lavender thread, a gift from Roxy’s grandmother at their wedding shower.

“Are you?” he challenged.

She took the dish from him, put the tea towel on the counter, and placed a wet palm on either side of his face, forced him to meet her gaze.

“_We_ are going to be okay,” Roxy pressed. “This will weaken me, but it will not break me, Eggsy.”

He wished he could have half of her strength. Eggsy took a hand and brought it to his lips for a firm kiss. Their eyes locked, and as he looked into the big, wide brown ones gazing back, all he could see was determination, that same look she had during training.

“Take me to bed,” she said suddenly, and that was all it took for Eggsy to crash against her.

The kiss rough, bruising, as he lifted her up to carry her to their room. Her legs wrapped around his hips, held him tightly, while he kicked open the door and deposited her onto the bed.

Eggsy made short work to get naked, and went back to help her out of the remainder of her clothing. She lay exposed, bare for him, completely vulnerable as she combed her fingers through her hair, allowed Eggsy to get a look of her all stretched out, smiling. He zeroed in on her right breast, it was a little more swollen, red. Eggsy brought a hand out to cup it gently, watched her reaction the whole time.

“Is this okay? Does it hurt?” He never wanted to cause her pain.

“Go on,” she encouraged quietly.

That was all he needed to hear, and so he leaned down for a light brush of their lips, as his hand worked over her breast. He was gentle, and grasped the other with his free hand, both in his palms while he kneaded them.

It stayed the same, slow, soft, gentle. He never pulled at them, only held them like they were the most precious things on her body, breathless moans escaped her as his mouth moved from her lips, down her throat to her chest. He dropped featherlight kisses to each nipple, and took the left into his mouth, tongue swirled as he suckled, a hand cradled the other breast and wandered down her body, nails ghosted along her right side, traced the shape of her hip and curled to cup her groin.

He inserted one digit into her while his thumb circled her clit, pressed down, and repeated. It was quiet, all could be heard were the whimpers Roxy let out, as she allowed him to take over, worship every inch of her.

They sighed together, as he entered her, kept the pace slow, just as slow as the whole night had been. Her hands were fisted in his hair, each pull against the ends sent a shock to his groin, brought him closer to the edge. They came in coupled unison, names quietly murmured between breaths, lips so close each name spoken caused them to touch.

Eggsy collapsed beside her, left his arms open for her to crawl into, and settled into a cuddle as the remnants of their love making floated around them. He nuzzled into her hair, breathing in the scent of her strawberries and cream conditioner, and silently prayed his days weren’t limited with this magnificent creature in his arms.

“I love you,” he whispered into the crook of her neck, before he placed a delicate kiss behind her ear.

Roxy held his arms tighter. “I love you, too.”

\---

The first day was by far the most overwhelming. Pre-blood work, which she found out would be done with each chemo treatment, a sit down with the doc once a week, and then brought back to the ‘pods’ as they called them. A row of chairs that recline, an IV machine beside each, a barrier was up between each section, at least, and a curtain could be pulled for privacy.

“We are empty right now, so it’s your pick,” the nurse said, cheerful, like this were a real treat, and maybe it was to some.

Roxy shrugged, Eggsy’s hand was like a comforting weight against her lower back. “That one,” she pointed to the far right, the last one at the end. She got comfortable in the chair, and just listened to what the nurse had to say.

Her name was Betty, a middle aged woman around her own age she figured, maybe older, who had too bright red lipstick, box colored black hair, and thick neon green rimmed glasses that were too young for her, but she was kind, a smile dimpled her cheeks as she explained the medications she would be administering to Roxy.

Pre-meds, as they called them for short, an array of anti-nausea medications and a mix of others to reduce any side effects of the chemo. Her vitals were obtained, an IV was placed into her right forearm, at least they didn’t have a hard time finding a vein, and she took her other medications by mouth.

“Is there anything I can get you?” Betty asked, once the pump worked to push the chemotherapy through her veins. “Coffee, tea, water? We have food, if you get hungry,” her blue eyes looked at them both, a knowing smile on her face.

“I’m okay, thank you” Roxy promised. She had eaten something before hand, they told her it would be good, and had brought a thermos of tea from home. She looked to Eggsy, who just shook his head, and murmured a polite ‘no thank you’ so soft, Roxy barely heard it.

Betty nodded, “Just let me know if you need anything, it should run over the next 3 hours.” And with that, they were alone.

Roxy could hear the distant voices of nurses at the station just before the row of chairs, a new one shortly appeared, and she figured maybe it was another patient. She looked around the small 6x6 space, there was a, what Roxy assumed to be, soothing photo hung just above where Eggsy sat. A beach scene, with waves that seemed to lap up the sand, she might have enjoyed it, if not for where she was.

She was pulled out of that when Eggsy snaked his fingers through hers, held it tightly. Roxy lolled her head to look at him, his eyes were gentle, calm, as they crinkled with the tiny smile he wore. They didn’t say anything, just watched each other and allowed the silence to speak for them, as his thumb stroked over her knuckles, until she blinked and a nurse was gently shaking her awake.

“You are all done,” Betty informed her, and began to shut the machine off. “How do you feel?” she asked, while helping Roxy to sit better in the chair.

It was jerky as she went from a reclined to sitting position, but she really didn’t feel much different from when they arrived.

“I feel okay,” she admitted, and watched as Betty flushed her IV and removed it. “Do I get a new one each time?” Roxy wondered, as the area was taped up.

“Yepp,” Betty responded, and sat with a few papers. “I know Dr. Berkowitz gave you a vague run down, but here is some information, your education from nurse to patient. You should feel okay today, but tomorrow you will likely feel tired or fatigued. Expect to rest a lot, your body has to recover from the chemo, and be sure to stay well hydrated, that is very important.”

She took the packet given to her, it was on her strain of chemo, and how it affected her body. There was information on washing your raw vegetables and fruits properly, what to eat and what to avoid.

“Even though we gave you anti-nausea medication, you might find later tonight, or even early tomorrow, that you may become sick. The doctor prescribed some medication for this, but it may not take it away.” Roxy nodded her head. “Do you have any questions for me?”

“I think you’ve answered them all,” Roxy smiled.

“Here is the number to call us, keep it handy, if anything goes wrong, or you experience any severe symptoms, call us.” Betty pointed to the top right corner of the first page; Roxy would program that into her phone later.

With no other inquiries, Roxy and Eggsy left, everyone was all smiles and kind waving them goodbye. Once they were in the car, Eggsy turned to her and brought her hand up for a kiss.

“What do you want to do now?” he wondered.

There was no work to be done, Harry had made it clear she were to take leave during this time.

“Let’s go home,” she responded, and she was grateful Harry made her take off. Because she spent more than half of the evening bent over the toilet, Eggsy behind her, held her hair away from her face.

After she thought the worst was over, she leaned back against his body. “Sorry,” she whispered, because it smelled awful. A soft set of lips pressed firmly to her temple, a hand swept through her messed hair.

“Don’t be.”

She would have said more if she hadn’t gotten sick again, and was thankful it was the last time. Roxy gathered herself to brush the foul taste off her teeth, tongue, rinsed it out with mouthwash and wandered to bed. It was just after 8, but she all of a sudden felt exhausted, and didn’t say anything when Eggsy joined her, his touch gentle, as fingers scraped along her scalp, coupled with his humming and she found sleep shortly after.

\---

Fatigue was an understatement, because it felt like someone had ran her over with a truck and didn’t even bother to look back and ask if she was okay. Her limbs felt heavy, and walking to the loo took more effort than she had ever assumed. Roxy had read the information, knew it was an aggressive chemo, but words do little to prepare you.

“You should try to eat,” Eggsy probed lightly. He held a plate with toast, lightly buttered, and a cuppa in the other.

She had no desire to eat, and she had to force herself up in an hour to have radiation done. At least all she had to do was lie there, keep still, and that should be easy, because she had little energy to hold her head up.

“I’m not hungry,” she told him. “But I’ll drink the tea,” Roxy decided. A mug shouldn’t be as heavy as it was, but she managed to drink it all, needed to keep hydrated and she did eat half a slice of toast.

Radiation was as eventful as she figured, stayed still and it was over within 5 minutes. Eggsy didn’t ask this time what they’d do afterwards, and held her on the couch the entire day.

She felt a little better the next day, and only a little, by the second treatment she was close to normal, only for that to be ruined the next day.

It was an endless cycle, and soon the day of chemotherapy brought exhaustion hours after she had completed it. Each one was harder to recover from, but Dr. Berkowitz seemed pleased with her white blood cell count, said it didn’t fall below what was safe for chemo.

Betty was a familiar face through the next 3 weeks, always cheerful, even when Roxy had to drag herself there, and it was too much effort to comb her hair, which she dreaded doing now, because as the 3rd week rolled around, she noticed some fall out. It wasn’t enough that anyone but herself would notice, but it had started.

Once she had completed the treatments prior surgery, the hair loss was quicker, and by the time it rolled around for her to go for her pre-op workup it was too much.

Eggsy appeared behind her, his face a mask of concern in the mirror, as she held his electric cutters.

“What are you doing?” he asked quietly, because it was obvious.

“Removing the rest,” Roxy told him.

All that was left were strands, some areas were thicker than others, but more bald spots than not, and she was sick of looking at them. Roxy turned it on, it buzzed to life, and held it against her hairline and in one precise line moved the clippers back until it showed a clean shaved path. She continued, and didn’t say anything when Eggsy took them from her and finished the rest.

The bathroom floor was now littered with her beautiful hair, or what was left of it, and in a display of pure love, Eggsy kissed her completely bald head before he rested his chin on her shoulder, his arms encompassed her waist, not an ounce of disgust in his eyes as he stared at their reflection.

“Beautiful,” he promised.

\---

It was the night before surgery, Harry and Merlin had stopped over.

“I have to say, Hamish, I think she looks better than you do bald,” Harry teased lightly, which caused them all to laugh.

“I might just keep this look, even after all of this is over,” Roxy joked and ran a steady hand along her scalp. “Think it makes me look sexy.” Eggsy grinned stupidly at her, but leaned in for a kiss.

“Definitely sexy,” he assured her.

Merlin snorted delicately, but raised his glass to hers. She had sparkling grape juice, no alcohol before surgery, and they all had the same to support her.

The timer on the stove went off, Eggsy went to get up and grab the frozen pizzas, but Roxy patted his arm and bounced up. It was so refreshing to see her energy return, but his heart was in his throat with the reality this would be short lived.

“I’ll get them. Harry, help me?” She turned and asked him, before she placed a quick kiss to Eggsy’s lips and darted off with Harry behind her.

Eggsy watched her walk away, she was gorgeous, and shifted when Merlin sat beside him, a hand squeezed his leg, and it was like everything crashed around him as he leaned into the arm that was offered, held him a little.

For once, in the last 2 months, tears ran freely down his face. “My wife has cancer,” he said on a strangled sob. Like he hadn’t been living it with her, like saying it made it more real.

“She does,” Merlin agreed softly, and didn’t say anything else as he cried, but Eggsy managed to compose himself when he heard them head back in.

He forced a smile, and laughed with friends, his wife, as they ate shitty pizza, per Roxy’s request, and drank £2 sparkling juice until late at night.

\---

“See you on the other side,” Roxy said, held his hand just as tightly as he grasped hers, and stole a deep, tender kiss, one that spoke of her love more than words ever could.

“Yeah,” Eggsy smiled down at her, his eyes were wet, and ran a gentle palm over her head until the world went dark, as sedation took over.

The next thing she knew she woke in recovery, and hadn’t realized she asked for her husband, until he was there, murmuring soft words she didn’t remember hours later, and held her hand.

It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but nowhere near as painful as the time she got shot in the thigh and ran on it during a mission.

“You should go home,” she told Eggsy, on her second night there, and earned herself a disapproving look. One that creased his face, caused the bags under his eyes to seem deeper; he needed sleep.

“I’ll go home when you do,” Eggsy replied, stubborn. “They said possibly one more night past tonight, and tomorrow your drains come out.”

Roxy flexed her arm, at the mention of the tubes sticking out of her right side. They were annoying, a little weird to have there, but not the worst thing. One thing she could appreciate was her tolerance for pain, being an agent had its perks, not that pain tolerance should be a perk, but certainly helpful right now.

Eggsy gazed at her thoughtfully over the rim of his reading glasses, “You should do the exercises they showed you.” She rolled her eyes, but did a few shoulder shrugs, and front raises.

She had asked that no one come see her while she was at the hospital, but there were a plethora of get well texts, a call from her mother who was a little better than when she found out and only cried for an hour. The food wasn’t anything to praise, but it filled her when she was hungry and Harry promised to bring over a chicken stew, one of her favorites that he made, when she got home.

The next day she was released, and she couldn’t be happier to be home. Eggsy got her settled into their bed with a soft kiss, before he wandered out to prepare some tea.

Roxy sat in their room alone, her eyes shifted down to look at her chest where the right side of her night dress fell against her skin. She raised a shaky hand up to run along the tender spot, and for the first time through all of this allowed a single tear to escape. Reconstruction had been an option in the beginning, but not enough skin could be saved and so she would forever be without her right breast.

Once stopped, allowed to properly digest what happened, what else she had left to accomplish before this was all done, it strangled her. She held strong through all of this, but her composure was slipping, just a little. It wasn’t until Eggsy’s hand covered hers, did she realize she clutched her empty chest as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“It’s gone,” she whispered. “And it won’t grow back, my hair will, but this won’t.” Roxy was grateful Eggsy didn’t try to tell her it would be okay, because nothing about this was okay, and all he did was kiss her tear streaked cheeks as he guided her down to lay and held her until she fell asleep, and even then the tears didn’t stop.

\---

“You’ve got me again,” Betty said, in that overly cheerful voice that sort of made Roxy cringe, but she knew the nurse meant well.

It was cooler out, she wore one of the knitted caps her mother had sent a few weeks back. Her and the women from her church had sent at least 20, all in different colors and patterns. Roxy wore the lavender colored one, with delicate plum purple swirls in the pattern, it was her favorite.

Roxy held her arm at the ready, and listened to the same speech as the first time, before Betty stuck her, and began the treatment. She settled back into the recliner, while Eggsy produced an afghan his mum had crocheted her, and draped it over her lap before taking her left hand like he always did.

“This is so soft,” she complimented. It was often with her wherever she went in their home, and big enough to cloak her and Eggsy on the couch.

The second time around was worse than the first, and if only because she was still recovering from the surgery, but Dr. Burkowitz didn’t want to waste any time. The chemo was more frequent this time around, and she had a few radiation treatments.

Days were long, filled with exhaustion, fatigue, and sickness, ones where she didn’t always make it to the loo, and relied heavily on the hand Eggsy offered for physical support.

“Everything is looking good,” Dr. Burkowitz said, pleased, at her appointment prior to chemo. “We are going to continue with the next week of treatment, and then you should be good to go. We will want follow-up scans 3-4 weeks after the last dose, so the end of this week you will be given an appointment for blood work and an MRI.”

Roxy smiled, Eggsy’s face looked the youngest it had in the last 4 months. “Thank you,” she said, and they were up to go sit through her 3 hour treatment.

As she settled into the chair, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, and she could see a light at the end of the tunnel.

“We are at the countdown,” she told Eggsy, when the nurse left them alone. His smile was soft, but relieved.

“Yep,” he agreed, and then settled into the book he read to her. It was a Jane Austen novel, _Emma_, one of Roxy’s favorites, and continued to read, even when Roxy had fallen asleep.

The week moved slower, if only for the fact that she was rounding the end of treatment and she would be glad to gain energy back, work to recover and return to a normal life.

Roxy was 2 treatments away from being finished, but it was a bad night as she had her head buried into the rubbish bin Eggsy held. Nothing was coming up anymore, she had emptied out the little she was able to eat at supper, a few slices of toast and broth. The chemo was fucking with her appetite, and now it was a gross mix of liquid and undigested mess at the bottom of the bin.

Eggsy’s hand rubbed steady circles over her back, as she dry heaved and fought the nausea. The anti-nausea medications were doing little for her, and they were warned it would be rougher this go round.

She held a shaky hand out, “Can you hand me a tissue?” Instead of being given what she asked for, Eggsy wiped her mouth off and chin where vomit had run down.

“You think there is more left?” Eggsy inquired gently. She shook her head, and he left the bed to, no doubt, clean out the bin and returned with mouthwash.

“Thanks,” she whispered, once she finished. Roxy grabbed her cap, that had fallen off as she got sick, to put back on and wrapped the afghan around herself.

Eggsy got comfortable with his back against the headboard to pull her against him, his body warm, inviting, as his arms wrapped around her.

“Better?”

Roxy turned a little so that her cheek was pressed against his chest. “For now, yeah,” she answered.

Each night after treatment were spent like this, and as if one last hoopla, the last night was the worst of it. The sickness started earlier, lasted longer, and was relentless into the next morning, but as dawn broke through their beige curtains, there was a sense of hope. She wouldn’t have to get up and be poked, prodded, tested, filled with a chemical that killed every cancer cell, along with the good cells, for 3 hours.

“Good morning,” she murmured when Eggsy opened his eyes. “Guess what?” Her smile was huge, cracked her chapped lips, and Eggsy’s was soon to match.

“What?”

“I don’t have to go anywhere. We can stay home and just fuck about with the day.” Roxy reached out, and with his assistance snuggled close. “I think we should spend all day in bed,” she informed him.

“That sounds like a plan to me.” And they didn’t move, beside trips to the loo and the occasional need for food.

\---

The months that followed got better, her scans were clean, the cancer was gone, and she cried right in the doctor’s office with Eggsy holding her tightly, his own tears soaked her blouse, but she didn’t care.

Roxy made sure to call everyone and share the good news, her mother wept over the phone, and this time Roxy cried with her. She let Eggsy share the news with Harry and Merlin, as she made a quick call to her uncle, who, of course, said he knew she’d get through it, because she was fierce.

That night the kisses were slow, gentle, Eggsy’s lips left hot, wet imprints trailed on every surface of her skin. She lay sprawled, body exposed, as he worked his way down her torso and back up to take her nipple into his mouth. A sensation she hadn’t felt, in what felt like a century, stirred low in her groin as he sucked, tongue swept along the perimeter of her nipple, as his free hand touched the right side of her chest.

It was still sensitive, but healed over and Eggsy was delicately running a finger along the scar before he pulled off her breast, only for his other hand to replace his mouth and cupped it softly, while his lips sought purchase to drop feather-light kisses to the shape of her scar. She knotted her hands in his hair, her fingers racked along his scalp as hips tipped up with every kiss he placed to her skin.

“So gorgeous,” he whispered into the crease of her left breast and nuzzled his nose there, before he ghosted his nose over the spot where her right breast would be.

Eggsy lifted up and offered a fond smile, his eyes sparkled with more awe and adoration Roxy had seen in the years they’ve been married. She cupped his face to coax him up for a slow kiss, one filled with more promise than any wedding vow they had spoken, a silent love that was louder than any words she could shout.

She wrapped her legs around his hips as he sank in, their eyes locked on one another while Eggsy started to move. The rhythm slow, there was no rush, no reason to chase an orgasm that would soon course through them, a release of coupled arousal that was shared, like two hearts that were fused together and beat as one. It pumped life through their veins, gave them oxygen, erased so many fears that had hung over them, grounded the guarantee that they’d be able to grow old and grey together, and never have to part.

Names were whispered into the silence, I love you’s exchanged between soft exhales of breath, as they came down from their orgasms to bask in their love making. Roxy faced her husband, a small, sated smile on her face, while she ran her hand through his disheveled hair, his palm glided along her head, where hair just started to come in, a little fuzzy yet. Their chests were flush with one another, legs tangled together, a few more tender kisses shared, their lips barely separated more than an inch from the other.

“I’m free,” she whispered.

Eggsy’s smile was blinding, it shone just as brightly as the day they said I do, made him look a decade younger. “You’re free,” he agreed quietly.

\---

She eased herself back into work, and only after physical therapy to regain some strength. It was a lot harder than she expected, but she completed it and was cleared to go back to work, but she had to be cleared by Kingsman medical. She ended up doing more PT there with their therapists, and Eggsy was added back into rotation for missions.

Harry and Merlin would not send her out until she was 100%, and it was a year before she was cleared for local missions, at least within the continent. Her first assignment was in Paris, for 2 days of surveillance, regarding a possible drug cartel.

“Are you sure?” Eggsy asked, one morning as he tightened his tie. “You don’t have to go yet,” he reminded her.

Roxy buttoned her suit jacket, and turned to her husband. “Yes, Eggsy, I am sure. It’s just to Paris for a surveillance mission, only two days.” It was the lightest assignment she had ever had, even lighter than her first mission as Lancelot.

He walked over to her, and touched a section of her hair. It had grown back, with a little help from vitamins and supplements, not as long as she once wore it, but she was able to style it and had it cut into an inverted bob, all sharp angles and layers, the tip of the front just met her jaw.

“I love this,” he murmured, as he swept his fingers through her hair.

She hadn’t colored it, let it go natural, and now had a silver streak, about an inch thick, in the front where she parted her hair. It was now a mix of brown and silver strands, but sported the Mr. Sheffield stripe.

Roxy smiled brightly at him and gave him a light kiss, before she stepped back to straighten her suit.

“How do I look?” she wondered, and transformed into an agent, transformed to Lancelot.

Eggsy’s gaze never broke from her’s. “Beautiful.”

It was like riding a bike, and she felt better for it. No matter how annoyed she was, Roxy respected the 3 missions for the first year back, and was comfortable assisting around the shop as needed. She decided to learn a bit more about tailoring between her assignments, and their newest tailor taught her how to sew a few trousers for her husband, who wore them proudly no matter how messy her stitching was.

\---

She stood in front of their floor length mirror, it was over a year since she’d been cancer free and continued to be, but today was important. Roxy finished her makeup, brushed her hair, and dressed in the clothes she had laid out. A new shirt, one her husband had gifted her, straight legged dark blue jeans, she was as casual as ever. With a final glance she went downstairs to find her husband, who was seated at their dining room table reading the paper and sipping tea.

“I hate pink,” she said, and only for the 5th time that week.

Eggsy gazed up from his paper, momentarily, and went back to read. “You don’t have to wear pink,” he reminded her.

Roxy sat across from him to pour herself tea and opened a muffin to add butter to it. “It is important,” she whispered. Eggsy’s ankle against hers was grounding.

They finished breakfast, fastened their trainers and walked out of the house to meet her mother, Harry, Merlin, and Percival at Bloomsbury Square garden. It was crowded, a sea of pink, as people gathered around to walk either 13 miles or 26 for breast cancer.

It wasn’t hard to find them, as they each wore an identical pink shirt to hers and Eggsy’s. She was touched when the box had arrived in the mail, her husband had ordered them. Each one informed the world they’d be walking for Roxanne Unwin, a breast cancer survivor and on the back of each shirt said: Real Knights Wear Pink.

She might have cried, but the best possible tears a person could shed, because she was loved, supported, cared about by these wonderful people who stood beside her and walked for a battle she fought and won.

Each year, after that, they walked and Kingsman donated money to breast cancer, they even rolled out a special edition pink flare each October, pink ribbons littered ties, pocket squares, and tastefully embroidered into some shirts and jackets, with 100% proceeds going to breast cancer research.

Roxy eventually requested the color of her ribbon be sewn into each suit, just an accent, a soft reminder to the world that she was a survivor, because real knights wore pink.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read, thank you for reading, I am very proud of this! It was hard to write, but I think it came out well. 
> 
> I want to say that, even if I don't know you, I support you. I am spiritually in your corner if you have breast cancer, are fighting the battle, won the battle, or know someone who lost. You are all warriors, and the fight against it does not go unnoticed and I am thinking nothing but kind things, love, support and hope. 
> 
> This message extends, also, to anyone who has had cancer, fought, is fighting, won, or knows someone who has been lost to their battle. I love you all, and my heart truly goes out to you. My grandmother-in-law was, hands down, the hardest thing I ever had to watch, but I do not regret being there for her through EVERY step of her battle and until her last breath. It is hard to expose myself like this, but these bits of my personal life are important to understand, and I hope someone found some closure in this, made you smile, made you cry, made you feel and I hope brought you a little hope. 
> 
> No one is alone.


End file.
